Grandma's Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Casserole Recipe Is a Classic (9 Ingredients) High Protein Recipes Casseroles Dinner Beef Pasta Budget Recipes

A friend of mine shared her grandma's vintage recipe for ground beef macaroni and cheese casserole. What is not to love about that? Ground beef is an inexpensive ingredient most enjoy, and who doesn't love macaroni and cheese? She told me her grandma got this recipe from a Carnation milk promotion back in the day.

This high-protein ground beef casserole recipe is sure to be a hit with the family. The budget recipe doesn't have a long list of ingredients. Here is your shopping list: ground beef, pasta, flour, cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, garlic powder, onion powder, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter.

Variation: Try this recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef.

Serve this easy family-friendly pasta casserole for dinner with your favorite side dishes. This budget recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy the health benefits of protein.

My friend's grandma liked to serve this ground beef pasta casserole with a fresh vegetable and garden salad with ranch dressing. Sounds good to me.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 16 ounces elbow macaroni or other short pasta, cooked to al dente according to package directions
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 12 ounces (1 can) evaporated milk
• garlic powder and onion powder, to taste
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 - 2 tablespoons butter, cut into slices

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet until browned and cooked through. Drain grease and remove to a large mixing bowl. (You can add a chopped onion to the ground beef when browning for extra flavor.) Add the cooked macaroni and flour. Stir to coat. (Use whatever short pasta you like. Penne, rotini, wagon wheels, bowties or fusilli would work well.)
2. Add the evaporated milk to the skillet and heat over low. Add the cheese, a little at a time, and stir until melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta-meat mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper, and garlic and onion powder, to taste.
3. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dot with the butter slices. (If you don't want to add breadcrumbs to the top, just skip that step.)
4. Bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or until hot, bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily. Food, fun, health, happiness.